STANLEY
represents the new, heterogeneous America to which Blanche doesn't belong
sees himself as a social reveller
Blanche is a relic from a defunct social hierarchy
possesses an intense hatred for Blanche
motivated by the aristocratic past Blanche represents
his animosity manifests itself in his actions towards her
his investigations of her past
his birthday gift to her
his sabotage of her relationship with Mitch
harmfully cruel and brutish
his animalistic vigour is evident in his love of work, fighting, and sex
lacks ideals and imagination
has a disturbing, degenerate nature and shows no remorse for his brutal actions
the play ends with an image of him as the ideal family man, comforting Stella as she holds their newborn child
calls into question society's decision to ostracize Blanche
wrongfully represented
represents the American Dream, an ideal that supposedly transcends the boundaries of social classes
asserts that he is American and is outraged when Blanche calls him a "Polack"
he is cunning and detects that Blanche's behaviour/drinking are not in line with her proclaimed Southern belle status
"he throws his head back like a baying hound and bellows"
has a strong relationship with Stella which is driven by sex
uses their sexual relationship to control her
"his fingers find the opening of her blouse"
"I was--sort of--thrilled by it"
she represents a class and society he cannot fully comprehend and doesn't belong to
Blanche, who thrives on proprietary, gets lost in her illusion while Stanley is driven solely on instincts and is destructive as a result
context: Williams borrowed the name from a strong and confident factory worker
unapologetic male gaze and uses his sexuality to propel his dominance
"he sizes women up"
assessing prey
"Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh"
his need to physically and sexually respond to the threat he feels from Blanche
context: Williams' relationship with Pancho Rodriguez developed Stanley's character, with Williams remaining in the relationship to develop Stanley
ironic: he sees her as a threat
context: CC Williams (his father) was included in the development of Stanley -> known to be part of all-night poker games and a violent alcoholic
"He holds the bottle to the light to observe its depletion"
his first instinct is to check how much alcohol is missing
foreshadows how he will bring to light Blanche's truth/alcoholism
"get the coloured lights going"
BUT his affiliation with light and the truth is more a reflection of how crude reality is, shown through his violent actions
he is a realist
the rape = an assertion of him as the "King around here"
the "inhuman voices like cries in a jungle" suggest the primitive dominance over Blanche's carefully constructed ideals
both him and Mitch believe they are entitled to sex with Blanche
decadence vs robustness
context: reflects the economic change and rise of the working class in 1940s America
Old South families who relied on slavery/plantations now replaced with powerhouses to fuel capitalism
reflects the societal norms ofmale superiority and the fundamental cultural misogyny
"Napoleonic code"
uses their relationship in a southern gothic tragedy to look into the notions of masculinity and femininity
Stanley can get away with his indiscretions, alcoholism and abuse behaviour
perfect patriarchy mechanisms shown within their relationship
she is a reminder of Stella's aristocracy
her submissive attitude = her acceptance of the new working class
Marxist approach
hopes to pass his views down to his unborn child as he defeats the Bourgeois threat to his life
Williams described as an "ultra-realist" who was blunt in his ideas and didn't overlook basic human needs/behaviour
he realises that Stella is easily influenced by her, after eavesdropping in Scene 4
"sub-human"
"rough humour"
does not let Blanche play poker, as this is a space reserved for men
"You hens..." (scene 3)
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feels he must reestablish his power
"the place has turned into Egypt and you are the Queen of the Nile!"
uses a condescending tone as he addresses her delusions
insinuates that he knows that she is using the lantern to conceal the truth, furthering her falsely constructed image
cares only for himself and his hedonistic needs
clear lack of consent
coaxing tone ("honey", "love") 'empathetically' denies her right to mourn
Nietzchean philosophy: two forces that operate = the Apollonian and the Dionysian
purity, order and logic vs a celebration of chaos and instinctual pleasures/pursuits
1: Williams uses Stanley's character to represent the new, heterogeneous America immediately after WW2.
3: Lastly, Williams depicts Stanley's intense hatred towards Blanche and the tension within their relationship.
2: Williams also presents Stanley's relationship with Stella as being one that is built on their sexuality.
"Hold this bone-headed cry baby" (to Mitch) (scene 11, 88)
"I am one hundred per cent. American, born and raised in the greatest country on earth ... so don't ever call me a Polack" (scene 8, 67)
"when we can .. get the coloured lights going" (scene 8, 66)
"his fingers find the opening of her blouse" (scene 11, 90)
"He holds the bottle to the light to observe its depletion" (scene 1, 14)
"the place has turned into Egypt and you are the Queen of the Nile!" (79)